Demona's Love Reborn v2 Part 2
by scottmercure
Summary: Demona is uncertain about the scientist she has hired for her project. Since meeting him she has been dragged back in time to memories she had tried to keep buried for centuries. In addition Xanatos has plans of his own, but Owen is skeptacle of them.


GARGOYLES  
  
DEMONA'S LOVE REBORN  
  
(Rewritten Version)  
  
Part 2  
  
By Scott Mercure  
  
smercurecharter.net  
  
This part is dedicated to Callisa "LilyDoll" Leigh  
  
(A terrific fan and talented writer – Thanks for the   
  
ideas!)  
  
All Gargoyles and characters are trademarks of Disney   
  
and Buena Vista Television, (c) MCMXCIV and used without   
  
their consent. Professor Scott Mercure, Jacob Forelle and   
  
all characters of the Lost Clan belong to Scott S. Mercure.   
  
Venus Mercure, a.k.a. "The Rebel Flower", belongs to   
  
Isabelle Saucier. Daniel Straussmore and the Athena Project   
  
belong to Ryan Stout. All brand names or copy written   
  
material mentioned in this story belong to their   
  
respective owners.   
  
Anybody who wants to use our characters is welcome to,   
  
as long as they contact us (Scott Mercure, Isabelle   
  
Saucier and Ryan Stout) first. Tell us what you plan to do   
  
with them and chances are we won't mind, although I cannot   
  
speak for Ryan..  
  
A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR:  
  
Okay, I know it's been a while since I posted Part 1   
  
of this series, but I think it will have been worth the   
  
wait. I had a lot of difficulties in writing this part of   
  
the series as it focuses on Demona's feelings. Not many   
  
stories seem to deal with this subject, probably because   
  
Demona is such a complicated character and often exhibits   
  
hate. I have always thought that she could be softened a   
  
little if carefully tweaked and nudged in the right   
  
directions. Hopefully this part of the story will start to   
  
unlock those hidden feelings she keeps buried away.  
  
Because of the massive changes in the new versions I   
  
am not able to put a date on them as far as where they   
  
belong in the television series. But I hope you enjoy the   
  
story anyhow, and as always comments and feedback are   
  
always a welcomed sight.  
  
Now, on with the story…  
  
James MacGregor leaned back in his chair as the Cray   
  
computer once again flashed the line "Components unable to   
  
exist together, formula failed, error code 442." He was   
  
really starting to hate the scientists who thought they   
  
were making progress with outlandish formulas such as   
  
these. It had not been quite a week since he started   
  
working for Xanatos and already he was starting to regret   
  
his decision, money or no money.  
  
"This is ridiculous!" He said aloud, although there   
  
was nobody around to hear him. "I can't work with such   
  
mundane information."  
  
He shook his head and wheeled his chair over to the   
  
first Cray terminal to see what it had come up with. A   
  
shapeless blob was rotating slowly in the upper left corner   
  
of the screen. To the right were several lines of code   
  
that listed everything that was found within the blob. He   
  
noted that for such a simple organism there seemed to be a   
  
lot to its genetic makeup. When his eyes went to the lower   
  
half of the screen he was met with a flashing message that   
  
made him want to scream.  
  
"Scanned organism found in database: Common waste   
  
fungus normally found on citric fruits."  
  
"And this pertains to this project how?" He asked the   
  
computer, knowing well that it would do no good.  
  
He got to his feet and pushed the chair under the   
  
table which contained the row of Cray computers. This was   
  
getting him nowhere except more confused, to which only   
  
resulted in him being short tempered. Stepping to the   
  
windows overlooking the parking lot he gazed down at the   
  
vehicles that filled it. Since it was well past noontime   
  
there was nobody walking around the parking lot. For some   
  
strange reason he gazed up at the cloudy sky and started   
  
wondering what Demona was doing.  
  
She was in Paris and had told him that she would be   
  
there a few weeks before returning, saying that it would   
  
give him time to work on Xanatos' project. "Well," He   
  
said to himself. "A lot of good I've done so far."  
  
In truth he found himself missing Demona, although he   
  
was not entirely certain why. She had not shown any real   
  
interest in him personally, except for the few times she   
  
accepted his feeble attempts at comforting. Suppressing a   
  
soft chuckle he strode back to the computers and one by one   
  
reset them. Each system beeped once before starting the   
  
boot process, finishing with the "Xanatos Enterprises" logo   
  
and system menu,  
  
"Enough of this jerking around." He said as he sat at   
  
the first system. "To do this right I am going to have to   
  
start from scratch. Access to some of the greatest minds!"   
  
He said, grumbling. "All the good ones are locked from   
  
outside access."  
  
When Xanatos said he would have access he had hoped it   
  
would have been Sevarious, Phobos, Straussmore and the   
  
others. He soon learned that any access to the top   
  
scientists were restricted and accessible only by his   
  
employer. If anyone could have helped his research it   
  
would have been those people. In some small way he was   
  
not really surprised, but it had bothered him.  
  
Frowning in frustration he instructed the computer to   
  
remove all the information associated with his project into   
  
a backup section of the server. When the progress   
  
indicator flashed "copy complete" he tagged the entire   
  
directory and wiped it from the system.  
  
"That's about what's it's worth." He said to himself,   
  
smiling as he began a new entry.  
  
The first thing he did was encrypt the file so that   
  
only he would be able to unlock it, then move it to a   
  
password protected directory. With that started he stood   
  
up and walked over to a row of four steel cupboards with   
  
glass fronts. Opening the second one to the left he   
  
removed a syringe and an empty slide. From the first   
  
cabinet he removed a rubber tie band, alcohol wipe and   
  
bandage. As he sat down at one of the tables he began to   
  
think of the next steps he would need to take, the blood   
  
sample being only one. He would need to use the MRI   
  
scanner, for that he would need help, after that he would   
  
need access to the DNA sequencer.  
  
But even throughout his mental checklist his thoughts   
  
always edged back to Demona. He knew he would not be able   
  
to get her out of his mind, no matter what he did. At this   
  
thought he laughed and prepared his arm to extract the   
  
measure of blood he would need.  
  
For the uncounted time since she had arrived back in   
  
Paris she had cursed not being able to turn into a human   
  
during the day. It was infuriating trying to manage a   
  
business from her London Penthouse using nothing but the   
  
telephone and a desktop PC system. She had no idea what   
  
was really going on at Nightstone Unlimited and whether the   
  
employees were doing their assigned jobs. As she sat   
  
heavily on the couch she left the glass of wine untouched   
  
on the glass table before her. She began to think of   
  
something to do, whether or not there had been anybody she   
  
needed to visit.  
  
When the image if James MacGregor came into her head   
  
she stifled a scream of frustration and took it out on one   
  
of the cushions. Even after the hapless pillow had been   
  
rendered a useless pile of torn silk and fluffy feathers   
  
she still had the urge to tear something apart. As the   
  
delicate white feathers settled on her legs she growled and   
  
started to get up when the phone rang.  
  
The sound of it caused her to jump as if something had   
  
kicked her backside. She had to let to ring four times   
  
before she had calmed down enough to answer it without   
  
sending it hurtling into a wall.  
  
"Yes." Was all she said, a hint of anger in her   
  
voice.  
  
"Miss Destine, this is your front office." Came a   
  
woman's voice, whom she recognized as her own secretary.   
  
"We have done everything you asked. But I find it odd that   
  
you are transferring your office location to New York   
  
City." Her heavy French accent overpowered her English.  
  
Demona felt a flash an anger build up on her once more   
  
but she kept her voice as calm as possible. "Where I make   
  
my office is not your concern. I just want to make certain   
  
everything is in order while I am away."  
  
"How long will you be in the United States?"  
  
"I do not know, for in indefinite period I would   
  
think." Demona replied, wondering if she would fire the   
  
woman. "I have people here that can take care of things in   
  
my absence. If I am needed you have the number of my New   
  
York office."  
  
"I understand, madam." The secretary replied. "Enjoy   
  
your trip."  
  
Without saying anything else Demona hung up the phone   
  
and started pacing around the living area. She had   
  
originally thought it would take a lot longer to square   
  
things away here. The human scientist, Robert, would not   
  
be expecting her to return for several more days. If she   
  
were to return sooner than expected it would seem that she   
  
had hurried to return to him, which is the impression she   
  
did not want to give. Stepping into the kitchen she looked   
  
at the refrigerator and wondered if she should eat   
  
something. She did not feel hungry but simply waiting   
  
around was driving her nuts.  
  
For lack of interest she left the kitchen and returned   
  
to the living area. She turned on the television, flopped   
  
down on the sofa and started channel surfing. Most of the   
  
stations here in Paris were beyond boring but when she saw   
  
a show on vacationing in Scotland she paused. The   
  
announcer's voice could be heard in the background   
  
explaining all the wonderful places to visit and how   
  
friendly the people were. As the scenes changed she saw   
  
towering mountains, endless green plains and quaint old   
  
villages where the inhabitants still followed the old ways.  
  
When they started talking about the private beaches   
  
and the ocean she could not help but think of the evening   
  
she and Robert spent. On the television they showed a   
  
bright sunny day, warm breezes and people playing in the   
  
ocean. What she saw was a quiet evening alone with a human   
  
she missed more than anything in the world. As she   
  
pictured the way he looked an idea suddenly came to her.   
  
It started out as a tiny tugging at the back of her mind,   
  
like a mosquito looking for a place to land. Her mind was   
  
telling her to go and visit the past, to once again walk   
  
the beach as she had more than a millennium ago.  
  
"James…" She said softly as a warm tear rolled down   
  
her cheek when she though of the rock they had sat upon.   
  
"If only I could have told you how I felt."  
  
"So go." A tiny voice echoed in her mind.  
  
For some reason she nodded at her own inner voice and   
  
switched off the television before grabbing the phone. She   
  
dialed her office and waited as the line rang twice before   
  
being picked up. The voice on the other end was the   
  
secretary she had spoken with earlier.  
  
"Nightstone Unlimited, front office of madam Destine."   
  
The French accented woman said.  
  
"It's me." Demona said, knowing the woman would know   
  
her voice. "I need you to check on flights departing for   
  
Scotland for tonight."  
  
"Yes, maam…" The secretary replied. Demona could   
  
hear the woman typing on her computer. "It will take a   
  
minute or two to search."   
  
"Very well." Was all she said as she continued to   
  
listen to the secretary typing on her computer.   
  
"There are three flights leaving for Scotland   
  
tonight." The secretary said. "The first leaves in forty   
  
five minutes, the next is at nine thirty and the last   
  
departs at eleven fifteen. Would you like me to book you   
  
on one of those flights? There are first class seats   
  
available on them all."   
  
"No." Demona replied, tapping a deadly talon to her   
  
chin. "I will handle it myself. Farewell."   
  
Demona dimly heard her secretary give her own farewell   
  
before hanging up the phone. She knew there would be no   
  
way possible she could get a seat on a plane in her   
  
Gargoyle form. She cursed again not being flesh during the   
  
day, it was something she never though she would miss.   
  
Grinning slyly she stepped out onto the terrace and   
  
leapt out into the dark Paris sky. As she banked towards   
  
the direction of the airport she caught a quick glimpse of   
  
the Eiffel Tower. The towering structure, which she had   
  
once found interesting back when it was being constructed,   
  
had long since lost its luster to her. Most everything   
  
else about Paris held no interest to her, at her age there   
  
was not much she had not seen or lived through.   
  
Ignoring the city she continued on to the airport,   
  
where upon she dropped lower so their radar would not   
  
detect her presence. She felt the only way she could get   
  
onto one of the planes to Scotland was to stow away, but   
  
first she needed to find out which one was departing.   
  
She cursed herself for not asking her secretary the   
  
flight information, it would have made it a lot easier. As   
  
the lights of Paris de Gaulle airport came into view she   
  
took extra care to glide in and around the buildings so she   
  
would not be spotted. Without a sound she touched down on   
  
the rooftop of the main terminal and stepped up to the he   
  
skylights. When she peered down into the main terminal she   
  
could see dozens of people milling about. Some with   
  
luggage, many in line at the check-in areas and others   
  
apparently waiting for others to arrive. What she looked   
  
for specifically were the large monitors displaying the   
  
outbound flights.   
  
When she finally spotted them she peered carefully at   
  
the flights and times. Since she knew what time the   
  
flights were to depart it was not difficult to locate. The   
  
soonest one was with British Airways and was set to depart   
  
in a half hour. When she noticed a stopover in Birmingham   
  
she frowned. Having to deal with a stopover would make the   
  
trip more difficult, as she would have to switch planes   
  
before reaching Glasgow.   
  
Stepping back from the skylights she leaned against a   
  
large air circulator and sighed. At first it had seemed   
  
like a nice idea to return to Scotland and revisit some of   
  
her past, but now it was getting complicated. Her other   
  
concern was where she would actually stow away on the   
  
flights.   
  
"I need to be human again!" She growled softly.   
  
A moment later she realized what she had said and   
  
became angry with herself. She actually wanted to be a   
  
human again, to be the one thing she was striving to get   
  
rid of! After slicing four deep gashes into the air   
  
recycler she spun and started walking towards the departure   
  
terminal.   
  
Goliath, Hudson and Brooklyn slid easily between the   
  
buildings, their blurred forms mirrored on the skyscrapers   
  
large office windows. Broadway and Lexington were going to   
  
meet up with Venus at Ward's Island before rendezvousing   
  
with them at the docks. Elisa, using some of her contacts   
  
on the street, had discovered that Dracon was indeed   
  
smuggling firearms in from overseas. The detective and   
  
Matt were already on the scene, waiting in the shadows to   
  
ensure that Dracon and his men did not run before they got   
  
there.   
  
As the distant ocean came into view they slowed and   
  
gazed around at the many warehouses. Although there were   
  
many lights around the warehouses the entire area looked   
  
dark and sinister, like something out of an old spy movie.   
  
From overhead they heard a familiar voice trying to get   
  
their attention.   
  
Looking up they saw Venus gliding several feet above,   
  
followed closely by Broadway and Lexington. "We got here   
  
first, Goliath, I guess that means we win." She said,   
  
chuckling.   
  
"This is not a race, Venus." Goliath said, shaking   
  
his head at his sisters playfulness. "We are here for a   
  
purpose."   
  
Venus looked slightly annoyed. "I was only kidding,   
  
Goliath. Sheesh, do you not ever let up?"   
  
"Nope." Broadway said, grinning. To which Lexington   
  
also chuckled.   
  
Goliath, if he had heard them, did not comment but   
  
instead motioned to a large warehouse to their left. Their   
  
keen eyes picked up the tiny Ford Fairlane parked behind a   
  
large stack of crates, hidden from any lights. Waiting   
  
next to it were two familiar figures, Elisa and Matt.   
  
Cupping their wings they went into a slow dive,   
  
circling wide once before touching down a few feet away   
  
from Elisa's car. The detective smiled, while Matt only   
  
nodded, apparently still not sure about Goliath and his   
  
kind.   
  
"Dracon and his goons haven't moved from the warehouse   
  
since they got here." Elisa said, stealing a quick glance   
  
towards a large grey warehouse a block away. "We saw the   
  
drop off boat pull in a few minutes ago loaded with several   
  
wooden crates."  
  
"I think you know what's inside tem." Matt said,   
  
frowning. Broadway narrows his eyes as he stifled a hiss   
  
though his clenched teeth.  
  
Venus looked at Broadway for a moment, then towards   
  
Elisa as she recalled the story about what happened with   
  
her gun. Inwardly she shuddered, thinking about how   
  
horrible Broadway must have felt. When Goliath started   
  
talking she pushed the thought from his mind and   
  
concentrated on what her brother was saying.  
  
"Elisa and Matt will go and silence the men still at   
  
the drop off boat." Goliath said, crossing his arms over   
  
his wide chest. "Venus, you take Broadway and Lexington   
  
and enter though the roof.  
  
"Hudson, you go in though the rear entrance while   
  
Brooklyn and myself confront Dracon from the loading dock."   
  
The gargoyles leader uncrossed his arms and clenched a fist   
  
in anger. "I do not want any of these men to escape!"  
  
The group nodded before breaking off into their   
  
assigned parties to their given destinations. Brooklyn   
  
looked up at Goliath and smiled.  
  
"Good night to crash a party." The young gargoyles   
  
said, chuckling.  
  
"Indeed." Goliath said as he unfurled his wings   
  
before he and Brooklyn scaled the side of the warehouse.   
  
As their talons pierced the metal wall it made a teeth   
  
rattling tearing sound. The sudden sound motivated them to   
  
hurry their ascent, less the noise alert their quarry.  
  
Venus was the first to touch down on the roof of the   
  
warehouse, followed moments later by Broadway and   
  
Lexington. She looked back and motioned them towards the   
  
large windows set into the roof several feet before them.   
  
As they made their way forward Venus could sense their   
  
human targets below them. From what she could feel they   
  
had no idea what was about to happen, she smiled at this   
  
useful ability. When she peered down though the dirty   
  
glass she saw several men standing around a pile of wooden   
  
crates.  
  
"The one wearing the tan suit is Tony Dracon, the   
  
leader." Broadway said, pointing down. "The tall black   
  
dude is his right hand man, goes by the name Glasses."  
  
"Who are the others?" Venus asked, making certain she   
  
would not miss anybody.  
  
"I guess they are either people buying the weapons."   
  
Lexington answered, scratching his head. "Or they're the   
  
ones who will go and sell them on the street."  
  
One of the crates was open, revealing neatly stacked   
  
laser rifles, one of which Dracon was holding. Broadway   
  
growled at seeing the weapons but made no move, instead   
  
looking to her for instructions. She knew they were not   
  
used to having her instead of Goliath or Hudson, but they   
  
respected her authority.  
  
"We wait for Goliath to make his move." She said,   
  
only loud enough so they could understand her. "Be   
  
cautious when we enter, I wish none of you getting hurt by   
  
those…" She gestured to the weapons. "things."  
  
Lexington nodded and waited for Goliath and Brooklyn   
  
to make their move.  
  
It happened so suddenly that all they heard was a loud   
  
crash, followed by a stack of crates crashing to the floor.   
  
Dracon and his men looked around before hustling to grab at   
  
the weapons. Venus leapt into the air, crashing though the   
  
glass as she threw out her wings to slow her fall. She   
  
heard the other two follow suit but did not look up, else   
  
she lose her targets.  
  
Goliath could be seen leaping up from behind the   
  
tumbled crates, pinning one man to the ground. Brooklyn   
  
was close behind, bowling one over with his body before   
  
slamming his fist into the face of another. Both men went   
  
down before they could release the safeties on the weapons   
  
they were holding.  
  
Venus saw Dracon turn and bolt towards the rear of the   
  
building, followed closely by his right hand man, the one   
  
Broadway called Glasses. She let Broadway and Lexington do   
  
what they would while she followed Dracon. It was this man   
  
they wanted most, and she was determined not to let him or   
  
his cronies get away.  
  
Growling loudly she leapt over a small stack of bailed   
  
wool, when she landed she ran on all fours. Dracon and   
  
Glasses separated, each going in opposite directions but   
  
Venus continued after Dracon himself. She knew that Hudson   
  
was back there someplace and would catch the other man.  
  
Without warning Dracon suddenly spun around and   
  
pointed the weapon directly at her. As he shouldered the   
  
weapon she ducked to the right, but his reflexes were   
  
quick. There was a flash of red light, then a searing pain   
  
as the laser sliced though the membrane of her left wing.   
  
She screamed in pain and was unable to dodge a large metal   
  
rack. The force of her body sent the large object tilting   
  
backwards for an instant before falling back to its   
  
original place. From above there came a torrent of small   
  
plastic drums, some of which pummeled her body, causing her   
  
more pain.  
  
Although she was not aware of it, Dracon had stopped   
  
long enough to gloat over his small victory. She dimly   
  
heard the man laugh for a moment, followed moments later by   
  
a loud thud. It was all she remembered before she slipped   
  
away into darkness.  
  
"Venus was hit!" Broadway shouted as he wrapped a   
  
length of steel pipe around three of Dracon's men.  
  
Lexington and Brooklyn turned to where they had seen   
  
Venus run, only to see Goliath holding Dracon high in the   
  
air. The gun he had been holding was bent beyond hope of   
  
ever being used again in his other hand. His eye were   
  
blazing white as he stared at the spot where Venus had   
  
fallen. All they could see was one of her legs and a wing   
  
protruding from the mess that had fallen atop her.  
  
"What's wrong?" Dracon said, a smug grin on her face.   
  
"Your new friend not know the ropes."  
  
"SIlence!" Goliath shouted as he watched the others   
  
remove the debris from his sisters body.  
  
When Hudson came hurrying forward he was carrying   
  
Glasses by the back of his coat. One of the large mans   
  
lenses was broken, showing a swollen eye underneath. Since   
  
the man was out cold it was not hard to figure out what   
  
Hudson had done to subdue him.  
  
Elisa and Matt came running from the loading docks and   
  
seemed about to relate their tale when they saw the   
  
situation.  
  
"Oh no!" Elisa gasped, taking Dracon into custody   
  
after Goliath dumped him on the floor.  
  
In a short time they had uncovered Venus, noting the   
  
long tear burned though her wing membrane. Aside from that   
  
she was bruised with some minor cuts but nothing seemed   
  
life threatening. Matt assisted in rolling her over so he   
  
could continue to check her injuries.  
  
"From what I can see she hit her head pretty good."   
  
Matt said as he noticed the cut on the side of her head.   
  
"Nothing serious, but I imagine she will be sore and have a   
  
good headache when she wakes up."  
  
"She does not turn to stone as we do." Goliath said   
  
as he gently took Venus in his arms. "I am fearful of her   
  
wing injury. Come, we must get her home so she can be   
  
tended to."  
  
"What about them?" Lexington said, pointing to Dracon   
  
and his men.  
  
"Don't worry." Elisa said, still holding Dracon. "I   
  
will radio this in and get a wagon here to pick them up.   
  
You worry about getting Venus home."  
  
Goliath nodded and hurried away, taking care not to   
  
jostle Venus too much. With the others help they managed   
  
to get her to the roof, where upon Goliath took her again   
  
and leapt into the night air.  
  
The rest of the Clan followed moments after.  
  
It seemed to take a lot longer to reach Wards Island   
  
than they thought, no doubt slowed by Goliath carrying   
  
Venus. When the lights of the professor's mansion came   
  
into view they descended slowly, circling twice before   
  
landing on the upstairs terrace. Lexington hurried forward   
  
and opened the large sliding glass doors. The little   
  
gargoyle hurried on ahead, saying that he would inform the   
  
professor.  
  
Goliath set her gently on the deck, trying his best to   
  
make her as comfortable as possible. They were not long in   
  
waiting for the professor to arrive. Their human friend   
  
hurried though the door way, almost out of breath from   
  
running. When he saw Venus lying on the deck unmoving he   
  
knelt and demanded to know what happened. Goliath was not   
  
certain if the professor was angry or afraid, possibly   
  
both.  
  
As they told him what had happened he slowly inspected   
  
her injures, cursing to himself when he saw the damage to   
  
her wing. Jacob arrived a few minutes after carrying a   
  
first aid case. The gargoyles stepped back as the two   
  
humans cleaned and dressed her wounds. Neither Scott nor   
  
Jacob knew exactly what to do about the burn in her wing.   
  
The laser had cauterized it so there was no bleeding, but   
  
the gaping hole was what concerned them.  
  
"Lets get her into bed where she can be more   
  
comfortable." The professor said as she gently brushed   
  
some wisps of hair from her face.  
  
They stood back as Goliath once again picked up his   
  
sister, then followed the professor to the bedroom. Hudson   
  
held the others back, saying that they would only be in the   
  
way.  
  
Scott watched as Goliath gently set Venus down on   
  
their bed, the mattress sagging slightly under her weight.   
  
He had long since gotten rid of the old waterbed as it both   
  
too small and uncomfortable for two people. Goliath   
  
stepped back and allowed the professor to kneel down next   
  
to her, his hand gently touching her face. Jacob nodded   
  
and motioned for Goliath to follow him out, to which the   
  
gargoyle did not object.  
  
She had no idea how long she bad been out, but the   
  
throbbing his her head told her that something had   
  
happened. When she opened her eyes she was met with a dim,   
  
and quite blurry view of her bedroom ceiling. A moment   
  
later her vision cleared so she tilted her head to the   
  
side, to which she noticed Scott.  
  
"I am home." She said softly. When she tried to   
  
touch her head Scott reached over and stopped her.  
  
"Do not touch the dressing now, sweetie." He said,   
  
frowning. "Do you remember anything that happened?"  
  
"A little." She said, wincing at the throbbing pain   
  
in her head. "We were combating with Tony Dracon and his   
  
henchmen. I tried to chase Dracon, he turned and fired at   
  
me and I dodged. I remember a burning pain in my wing,   
  
then striking something and everything went dark."  
  
"Yes, you're wing is injured and you have a bad cut   
  
on your head." Scott said, a hint of unpleasantness in his   
  
tone. "Goliath carried you back here. When I learned   
  
about what happened I thought the worst."  
  
She noticed the look of concern on his face, the hint   
  
of his anger could also be seen. "I am getting slow in my   
  
old age."  
  
Her apparent poke at being funny did not work.  
  
"Age has nothing to do with it, Venus." The professor   
  
said, sitting on the bed next to her. "Do you have any   
  
idea how frightening it was to see you lying there? The   
  
others saying you had been shot."  
  
She did not like the tone of his voice, it only made   
  
her head ache more. "It is a danger that can happen, no   
  
matter how hard I try to avoid it. I am not a hatchling   
  
and do not need you to lecture me on such things."  
  
"I am terrified of losing you, Venus." He said,   
  
sighing as he stood up. "After so many years of being   
  
alone, now I have somebody important in my life. I have no   
  
desire to go back to my single life again."  
  
"I will not stop doing what I was raised to do." She   
  
said, understanding how he felt.  
  
"I am not asking you to." He said, looking down at   
  
her bandaged head. "I know very well how you feel about   
  
such things and will never ask you to stop. But please,   
  
try to avoid getting shot and bashing your head in." The   
  
last sentence he said with a soft chuckle.  
  
She found herself chuckling softly, but the action   
  
only made her wince in pain. When she tried to get up he   
  
gently pushed her back down onto the bed.  
  
"You are going nowhere for a little while." He said,   
  
trying to ask cross with her. "You need to recover, and it   
  
will be a while before you even think of flying."  
  
"Why?" Venus asked, wondering how bad her wing was.   
  
"I felt the pain in my wing, but how bad is it?" She felt   
  
her voice waver, the thought of not being able to fly   
  
scared her.  
  
"It is not serious, but bad enough that you have a   
  
long tear in the membrane of your left wing." Scott said,   
  
reassuring her. "But it will take time to mend and that   
  
means you're grounded until it heals."  
  
The thought of being grounded made her feel sick   
  
inside. She felt it would have been better if she had lost   
  
an arm than to lose the ability of flight. Sighing, she   
  
closed her eyes and tried to ignore her aching head and   
  
sore body.  
  
"Here." Scott said, sitting down next to her again.   
  
"This will help with the pain and make you relax." He held   
  
two small white capsules in his hand, in the other was a   
  
glass of water.  
  
With his help she was able to lift her head high   
  
enough so she could take the medication and swallow the   
  
water. It was the first time she had ever taken such a   
  
thing, she did not trust the things, but with the pain she   
  
decided to try it. If it helped take the soreness away   
  
then she felt it would be worth it.  
  
"Is there anything else you need?" Scott asked,   
  
setting the half empty glass on the nightstand.  
  
"Nothing right now." She replied, placing her hand on   
  
his thigh. "I am sorry for scaring you."  
  
He placed his hand atop hers, squeezing gently. "I   
  
love you." Was all he said.  
  
"I know you do." She replied, smiling. "I love you   
  
too."  
  
In a short time she felt the medication begin to work.   
  
Her eyes became heavy and she felt her body start to relax   
  
as she slid into darkness. Scott waiting until her   
  
breathing slowed before leaving the room.  
  
Not far down the hallway he saw Goliath and the others   
  
waiting. He had no doubt they were waiting to know how   
  
Venus was doing. Closing the bedroom door he went to   
  
inform them of her condition.  
  
Demona was more than happy to finally be free of   
  
hiding in the cargo section of the Boeing 747. Aside from   
  
keeping baggage company and not having the usual bag of   
  
nuts and can of soda the flights were uneventful. She felt   
  
foolish having to hide in such a way when she was so used   
  
to not having to worry about being seen in public. It was   
  
too far for her to have flown on her own so she had no   
  
choice.  
  
When she was finally clear of the airport she made her   
  
way quickly over the surrounding city and did not slow   
  
until she reached the countryside. As she took in the lay   
  
of the land she felt as if somebody or something were   
  
watching her. She continuously scanned her surroundings   
  
but never saw anything. Glancing over her right shoulder   
  
she noticed the Grampian mountains and knew she needed to   
  
start heading west. In time the distant horizon started   
  
becoming familiar to her, and with it came the memories.  
  
Memories flooded her mind, both good and bad, from the   
  
time she was a hatchling until she fled Scotland. Before   
  
she knew what was happening the view below her was very   
  
familiar. She had no idea how long she her been flying,   
  
but it must have been quite a while since she saw the   
  
hollowed out area when Castle Wyvern once stood.  
  
She circled it a few times before heading north   
  
towards the beach. As the dark brown stretch of beach came   
  
into view she dipped lower until she could hear the ocean   
  
lapping against the beach. Pulling up she hovered for a   
  
moment before setting down on the beach.  
  
The sand felt warm and soft beneath her clawed feet,   
  
bringing back all to familiar memories. Closing her eyes   
  
she pictured the time when she and Robert had walked on   
  
this very beach. Without realizing it she started walking,   
  
following the same path they had taken on that wonderful   
  
evening. With each step she heard the soft crunching of   
  
sand.  
  
When she opened her eyes she spotted the rock on which   
  
her and James had shared. It did not look any different   
  
than it did over a thousand years ago. There were more   
  
trees and bushes above the beach, and the rock was only   
  
slightly more buried then she remembered. But aside from   
  
that everything was just as she remembered it,  
  
Numb to the tears filling her eyes she bounded on all   
  
fours until she reached the rocks edge. She was about to   
  
dig her talons into its side but something made her stop.   
  
Doing that seemed to revolt her, almost like she was   
  
shaming the memory by damaging something she held dear.   
  
Pulling back her hands she glanced to her right and saw the   
  
irregular path leading up to the top.  
  
When she took the first step onto the path she felt a   
  
soft wind blow past her from the ocean. It was slightly   
  
cooler than the air but she found something soothing within   
  
it. Inhaling the salty air she continued onward and did   
  
not stop until she reached the summit. In front of her was   
  
the face of the cliff, calling out to her like a long lost   
  
lover. Holding back a sob she started forward, each step   
  
feeling as if the rock was a magnet trying to hold her in   
  
place.  
  
As she stepped up to the edge she peered down at the   
  
ocean below. The ocean swells crashing against the base of   
  
the cliff. Everything seemed exactly like it had been,   
  
only Robert was not here with her. Unable to hold back she   
  
collapsed into a sitting position and cried. Her shoulders   
  
and wings shuddering with each sob.  
  
"Why did you have to die?" She screamed at the moon   
  
high overhead. "Damn you, Rebel Flower!! Why did you hand   
  
him over to me?" Her eyes were so full of tears that the   
  
sky and moon were only a watery blur. "Damn you, Robert,   
  
for capturing my heart."  
  
Once again the wind began to blow, causing the damp   
  
air below to wash over her. She felt and tasted the salty   
  
water of the nearly invisible spray. Wiping the dampness   
  
from her eyes and face she swung her legs over the edge and   
  
leaned back. When she did she felt a bunch of tiny   
  
indentations in the rock beneath her right hand.  
  
At first she paid it no mind, as the surface of the   
  
rock was far from smooth. But as she slid her hand away   
  
the roughness disappeared and she felt smooth rock. When   
  
she glanced down she saw what she believed was a manmade   
  
etching in the rock. For a moment she became angry as to   
  
who would do such a thing to her private memories. Her   
  
angry turned to curiosity when she saw what looked to be an   
  
arrow pointing towards the edge of the cliff.  
  
She figured it was been done a long time ago as the   
  
edges were smooth and worn away by the elements. It   
  
puzzled her as to why somebody would carve an arrow   
  
pointing out over the ocean.  
  
"Compass direction?" She said softly.  
  
Swiping her hand over the arrow she looked back out   
  
over the ocean but she could not get it out of her head.   
  
Growling softly she pulled her legs back up and spun around   
  
so that she was on her stomach. Peering at the face of the   
  
cliff she saw nothing out of the ordinary, except for a   
  
small ledge about halfway down. It reminded her, quite   
  
painfully, of the ledge she had taken refuge on when the   
  
Vikings had sacked castle Wyvern.  
  
It did not look very wide, perhaps only enough to   
  
allow one person to stand upon. Tilting her head she began   
  
wondering if there might be more to this arrow than she   
  
thought. Rising to her feet she threw open her wings and   
  
leapt off the cliff. An updraft caused by the breaking   
  
waves below stopped her from plunging into the ocean far   
  
below. Soaring out over the open sea she spun in a wide   
  
circle and began to glide down to the ledge, which was   
  
about halfway down the cliff face. From what she could see   
  
there was some sort of opening just beyond the ledge.  
  
Moments before she would have struck the cliff she   
  
cupper her wings and touched down on the narrow ledge. She   
  
immediately dug her hands into the rock to stop herself   
  
from toppling over backward. When she regained her balance   
  
she discovered that there was indeed a narrow opening   
  
beyond. Crouching down, she slowly made her way inside,   
  
taking care to avoid any loose stone overhead.  
  
She suddenly came across what looked to be a hastily   
  
constructed wall of stones. Several had fallen loose   
  
revealing that the tunnel continued further inside.  
  
"Why would somebody go though the trouble to blocking   
  
the opening?" She said, picking up one of the fallen   
  
stones.  
  
For a few moments she stared at the wall, wondering is   
  
she should continue on, which would mean tearing the wall   
  
down. She did not think anyone would mind, not that she   
  
cared. "Perhaps there is something hidden further in?"  
  
Grinning in spite of the situation she reached down   
  
and began pulling out the rest of the stones. Because of   
  
her strength she met with no resistance and within a few   
  
minutes the open was large enough to allow her though.   
  
Caping her wings under her arms she slithered though the   
  
opening. After she was though she noticed that there was   
  
not as much light this far inside. She still had no   
  
trouble seeing, as her keen gargoyle sight was far better   
  
than a humans. Still, she reached to the back of her belt   
  
as unclipped a small battery powered flashlight. The   
  
device had come in handy during her flight as the luggage   
  
area was not lit while in flight.  
  
When she turned it on she saw that the walls of the   
  
tunnel were smoother than on the other side of the wall.   
  
She could see chisel marks where it had been widened to   
  
allow for easier passage. It was also not as damp in here,   
  
no doubt thanks to the wall. The other thing she noticed   
  
was that she could almost stand upright. There was no   
  
doubt that this tunnel was carved to a humans height.  
  
"But why is it here?" She asked herself, trying to   
  
remember anyone mentioning tunnels around the castle but   
  
she came up empty.  
  
As she continued on she ran one hand along the wall   
  
while watching the floor for any pitfalls. After she was   
  
walked for several minutes she found herself happy to have   
  
the light as it was almost pitch black. She found herself   
  
wondering if she should turn back and abandon her   
  
spelunking as she had not found anything. However she felt   
  
as if something was urging her to continue onward, for what   
  
reason she did not know.  
  
Shaking her head she pressed on, all the while panning   
  
the light around before her. Just when she thought there   
  
would be no end to the tunnel she stumbled into a vaulted   
  
room. There was a slight drop where the tunnel floor met   
  
the room, causing her to stumble forward. She was able to   
  
break her fall with her hands but the light went skittering   
  
away from her. The beam spun around several times, shining   
  
along several strange looking objects, large and   
  
rectangular.  
  
Cursing softly she got to her feet and brushed the   
  
dirt and dust from her arms and legs before walking towards   
  
the flashlight. When he picked it up she pointed it to one   
  
of the large objects and saw at once that it was a stone   
  
sarcophagus. She felt her heart leap into her thought as   
  
she realized what the other objects must be as well.  
  
She had stumbled upon an ancient human tomb.  
  
As she panned her light around she noted that there   
  
were about ten sarcophagus' in the room. They were   
  
arranged so that they were three across and as many long,   
  
but the tenth seemed different. It was set away from the   
  
others, resting on a small pedestal and seemed more   
  
elaborate than the rest. The others were simple stone   
  
coffins, their only ornaments being either a family crest   
  
or the name of whoever was entombed within.  
  
When she approached the one by itself she noticed that   
  
the entire stone coffin was etched with many different   
  
scroll patterns. She was no beginner when it came to   
  
archeology but she was not able to place the scrollwork.   
  
Moving closer she concentrated on the lid itself, hoping   
  
there would be a name or family crest.  
  
The surface was thickly coated with dust, telling her   
  
that it has been here undisturbed for uncounted years.   
  
Using her free hand she brushed the thick dust from the   
  
surface, exposing the surface beneath. She blew the rest   
  
away with her mouth before shining the light on the coffin   
  
lid.  
  
At the end which she figured was the head she did   
  
notice a family emblem with some Latin text etched below   
  
it. Because of the tiny light she was not able to see the   
  
entire crest, but what she did see made her scream, forcing   
  
her to take several steps back. It was one she herself had   
  
back at her New York manor, locked away. Aside from her   
  
there had only been one other person allowed in, James   
  
MacGregor.  
  
The crest carved on the coffin lid was from the house   
  
of MacGregor. If that was not enough she had caught a   
  
quick glimpse of the name below it: Robert MacGregor. The   
  
tiny flashlight slipped from her hand as she fell to her   
  
knees, stunned at what she had fond.  
  
She had never been able to find out what they had done   
  
with his body after he was killed. At the time she was so   
  
heartbroken that she had fled the castle for several days   
  
to mourn. When she finally returned she told herself that   
  
she did not want to know where he was burled. With her   
  
dabbling with the Archmage and his magic she did not want   
  
to get any bizarre ideas.  
  
It was so amazing that she was not even able to cry,   
  
only shiver as if Robert himself would rise from the dead.   
  
For several minutes she was unable to move, being only able   
  
to stare at the coffin. The flashlight had fallen so that   
  
the narrow beam shone upon the side of the coffin.  
  
She reached out and grabbed the flashlight before   
  
getting back to her feet. Her first instinct was to leave   
  
this place, but the fact that she had found Robert's   
  
resting place held her back. Bowing her head she once   
  
again approached the stone coffin. When she reached it she   
  
shone the light on the surface again, this time on the   
  
text. As she translated the text her eyes filled with   
  
tears.  
  
I will never forget you, my Angel, and I pray you never  
  
forgot what we shared.  
  
You were the shining light in my darkest hours, your   
  
beautiful  
  
face was that of a Goddess…  
  
and as a Goddess I worshiped you as no mortal man could.  
  
Farewell, my Angel, I love you with all my heart and I pray   
  
that somehow we will meet again.  
  
The first thing that came to her mind was confusion.   
  
She was touched deeply by what was written, but she could   
  
not help but wonder who else would have known what to   
  
write. Robert could not have told the carver since he was   
  
dead, unless he had made earlier arrangements.  
  
"But why?" She said softly, sniffing. "Did he know   
  
he was going to die soon? Who else would have known this?"  
  
Her questions were met with silence.  
  
With her left hand she traced the text with her   
  
finger, feeling as if by doing that she was touching him   
  
once again. Resting her hand on his family crest she   
  
smiled and touched her forehead to the side of the coffin.  
  
"I love you." She said as a single tear rolling down   
  
her cheek before dropping to the dusty floor. "I will   
  
never stop loving you."  
  
For a while she did nothing except remain silent,   
  
feeling the cold stone of Robert's coffin. She had no idea   
  
how long she had stood there, but she felt there was still   
  
something to do. When she pulled away she sighed softly,   
  
then placed the flashlight on a nearby coffin so that the   
  
beam shone on Robert's.  
  
With shaking hands she pressed them against the lid of   
  
the coffin and gently pushed. She heard a soft grating   
  
sound as the stone lid slid a few inches sideways. Holding   
  
her breath she gripped the coffin lid and gently lifted it   
  
away, not yet looking inside. She had no intention to   
  
destroying the lid so she carried it to one of the other   
  
coffins and gently set it on top.  
  
When she returned to Robert's coffin she waited a few   
  
minutes to give her own silent prayer. As she looked   
  
inside she saw a heavy white burial cloth within. Embossed   
  
on it was again the MacGregor family crest, done in richly   
  
colored thread. What caught her attention more was the   
  
hidden form beneath it. She fought the strange sickening   
  
sensation she felt in her stomach.  
  
"He's dead." She said, tears blurring her eyes.   
  
"There is no reason for me to be afraid."  
  
She could see her hand shaking as she reached down and   
  
gripped the edge of the shroud. As slowly as she could she   
  
peeled the shroud away, revealing the body underneath. Her   
  
breath caught in her throat when she saw the skeleton   
  
within. She looked away for a few moments, breathing   
  
heavily as tears streamed down her cheeks. When she felt   
  
more composed she swallowed heavily and turned back.  
  
Robert was dressed in his leather armor, though it was   
  
faded and rotted with age, with his arms crossed over his   
  
chest. His skull stared at the ceiling, the empty eye   
  
sockets and permanent grin gave her the shivers. Still, as   
  
she continued to look she remembered that this was the man   
  
whom she had once loved.  
  
She was pleased that he had gotten the burial he   
  
deserved, one of the few humans who welcomed the company of   
  
her kind. Another thing she started wondering about was   
  
what had actually happened during the burial. "Were there   
  
gargoyles there as well to see Robert put to rest?" She   
  
asked herself, then felt bad that she had not been there to   
  
see him off.  
  
"He must hate me." She said, sniffing in an attempt   
  
to clear her nose.  
  
"No." Came a faint, hollowed whisper from behind.  
  
Dropping the burial shroud she spun in anger, full and   
  
ready to tear whoever was there apart. She barley was able   
  
to hiss when her eyes fell on a barley visible form   
  
standing a few feet away. The image wavered for a moment   
  
before becoming more solid, in a manner of speaking. This   
  
time she was not able to hold back the scream that emerged   
  
from her mouth at what was before her.  
  
Robert MacGregor, looking just as he did before his   
  
death, stood there. The only difference was that his form   
  
was transparent, and when he spoke his voice sounded deep   
  
and hollow, as if he were speaking from a pit.  
  
"I had wondered when you come." He said, smiling.  
  
"No…" Demona said, shaking her head and backing away.   
  
"NO! This is not happening!"  
  
"But it is, my Angel." He said, walking towards his   
  
stone coffin. "Have no fears, I will not harm you. How   
  
could I do anything bad to the one I loved."  
  
She felt the cold touch of the wall behind her,   
  
letting her know that she could not back away further. The   
  
image of Robert did not attempt to approach her, but   
  
instead looked down at his own skeletal remains. She   
  
watched as he tilted his head, then smiled.  
  
"I have lost weight." He said, his laugh sending   
  
chills down her spin.  
  
"I am seeing things." She said, turning her head and   
  
closing her eyes. "It's this place, it's having too strong   
  
an effect on me."  
  
"Trust me, little Angel, you are not… seeing things."   
  
Robert said, turning his gaze away from his coffin. "For   
  
so long have I waited and hoped to set eyes upon you once   
  
again."  
  
"You can't be here." Demona said, trying her best not   
  
to show she was scared. "You were killed, more than a   
  
millennium ago."  
  
The image of Robert wavered as a look of shock shone   
  
upon his face for a few moments. "Has it been so long?   
  
What has happened that you are still of flesh and blood?   
  
What of the castle, and the others of your kind?"  
  
Demona whistled softly between her teeth, wondering   
  
how to answer his questions. "That would be a lengthy   
  
story, to be certain."  
  
Robert laughed, his ghostly form gazing around the   
  
crypt before looking at her again. "I have time."  
  
For a moment Demona found herself chuckling at his   
  
comment, it would be like him to joke about such things.   
  
Hoping her flashlight had enough power to keep the darkness   
  
away she leaned against his coffin and told him all that   
  
had happened after his death.  
  
Xanatos watched in wonder as Owen shook his head   
  
before getting back to his feet. It was the third time he   
  
had gotten the better of him, which was unusual when the   
  
sparred. David took a moment to adjust his belt before   
  
confronting Owen.  
  
"Well, judging by the way I am wiping the mat with you   
  
there must be something on your mind." Xanatos said,   
  
crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"It is nothing, mister Xanatos." Owen replied,   
  
smoothing out his own uniform. "I foolishly allowed my   
  
mind to wander when I should have been focused. It shall   
  
not happen again."  
  
"This is unlike you, Owen, and it disturbs me." The   
  
billionaire said, frowning. "Perhaps you need some time   
  
off."  
  
Owen shook his head. "That will not be necessary,   
  
mister Xanatos. I assure you that I am well."  
  
"Really?" David said, smirking as he lunged a punch   
  
towards Owen's midsection.  
  
The major domo reacted instantly, catching Xanatos'   
  
arm before flipping him over backwards. His employer   
  
grunted as he landed heavily on the mat. When he looked up   
  
he saw Owen looking down at him."  
  
"Okay, I believe you." Was all David said.  
  
Venus sighed as she made her way downstairs to the   
  
foyer, trying not to look at her injured wing. It had been   
  
several days since she had been injured, but at least the   
  
headaches had finally gone away. What she had hated most   
  
was spending two days in bed, only getting up to use the   
  
bathroom. She had not remembered much about what had   
  
happened, no doubt from when she struck her head. Not   
  
since she had been injured fighting Xanatos in his Steel   
  
Clan suit had she felt so horrible.  
  
When she reached the bottom step she stopped and   
  
listened to see if she could locate her husband. If he was   
  
sticking to his normal routine he would be in his workshop.   
  
Making her way there she pushed the door open and stepped   
  
inside. As she though he was standing over a large   
  
sandstone tablet that he had been working on for a few   
  
weeks.  
  
He looked up and smiled when he heard her enter.   
  
"Hello there, sweetie. How are you feeling?"  
  
"I feel a lot better than I did a few days ago." She   
  
replied, standing next to him.  
  
"How's your wing?"  
  
At this question she sighed, her wings drooping to go   
  
with her mood. "It irritates me to no end."  
  
"It's sore?" He asked, genuinely concerned.  
  
"No." She answered, shaking her head. "I am   
  
irritated that both you and Jacob have joined together to   
  
keep me grounded."  
  
"You know that trying to fly this soon could tear your   
  
wing even more." Scott said, crossing his arms.  
  
She returned his answer with a tiny frown. "I feel   
  
that I will go insane if I remain on the ground."  
  
Scott grinned, which Venus did not seem very thrilled   
  
about. "You will not go insane, Venus. Sometimes we all   
  
have to endure things we do not enjoy." He said, then   
  
thought for a moment. "Do you think I enjoy leaving you   
  
alone for days or weeks while I am away in some other   
  
country?"  
  
"I understand what you do." She replied, shaking her   
  
head. "I would also understand if you enjoy being on your   
  
own for a time."  
  
Her answer felt like a slap in the face, to which he   
  
visibly recoiled from. "I hate every minute of it." He   
  
said in a heated tone. "But you are twisting my question   
  
around.  
  
"You hate not being able to fly, I hate being away   
  
from you. We all do things we hate, so you will just have   
  
to get used to it."  
  
She was not certain if it was the tone of his voice,   
  
or the way he said it, but she felt like kissing him. "I   
  
should be angry for what he said to me, but I am unable   
  
to." She added to herself. Instead she shook her head and   
  
smiled. "I suppose you are correct, but it is still   
  
annoying."  
  
"Well, now that we both know you are not going insane   
  
are you up for doing some archeology stuff?" When she   
  
nodded he pointed at a small stack of faxes on his desk.   
  
"Those are copies of some Egyptian texts the museum faxed   
  
me. I need you to translate them."  
  
She nodded before picking up the stack. "When do you   
  
need them finished?"  
  
"There is no hurry." Scott replied as he turned his   
  
attention back to the large sandstone tablet. "I told them   
  
it would take a few weeks, so you have plenty of time."  
  
With that she sat went over to the bookcase and pulled   
  
some textbooks from the large collection they had. After   
  
she had set the items on his desk she went over to a small   
  
worktable and gathered up her own personal notebooks.   
  
When she had them she sat down behind the desk and began   
  
leafing though the faxes, sorting out the easier ones   
  
first.  
  
He watched her from the corner of his eye for a few   
  
moments and smiled. She was an excellent student and   
  
pleased that she no longer even needed his help to get   
  
started. With that he turned his attention back to his own   
  
work, which was starting to puzzle him.  
  
At first there did not seem to be anything out of the   
  
ordinary when he first looked it over. It was not until he   
  
started cleaning it that the bizarre language emerged. He   
  
easily recognized the Egyptian symbols but they were mixed   
  
with others that were not. It was these odd symbols that   
  
puzzled him, since they were clearly not Egyptian. What   
  
was worse was that the ones he did know seemed as if they   
  
were done by somebody who only had a basic knowledge of the   
  
language.  
  
Running his hand though his hair he scratched an   
  
imaginary itch on the back of his neck. It was a habit he   
  
did when he was presented with something that bothered him,   
  
normally when he was unable to figure something out. When   
  
he started humming "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts" in   
  
an aggravated tone it was enough to get Venus' attention.  
  
"That difficult?" She said, trying not to smirk.  
  
"Huh?" He said, not even realizing what he was doing.   
  
"Oh.. You can say that. This tablet was either done by a   
  
brilliant mind, or by somebody who had lost it."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Come, take a look for yourself." Scott said,   
  
standing to one side of the tablet.  
  
She stood up from the desk, walked over and started   
  
down at the area he had cleaned. Like him she could pick   
  
out the Egyptian parts but the other hieroglyphics were of   
  
a type she had not seen. Tapping a talon against her cheek   
  
she used her other hand to touch one of the unknown   
  
engravings. For a moment something seemed to flash across   
  
her vision. It lasted a split second but it was enough so   
  
that the image caught in her mind.  
  
"Have you looked at Mayan text?" She asked, pulling   
  
her hand away. "For some reason that sticks in my head."  
  
"Mayan text?" He replied, clearly puzzled. "That   
  
sound very far fetched since both civilizations lived on   
  
opposite sides of the world." For a moment he tapped his   
  
chin. "But it is worth investigating, considering the   
  
strangeness of this." He added, waving to the sandstone.  
  
He went over to the bookshelf and scanned the many   
  
volumes before pulling one out. Opening it to a marked   
  
section he laid it on the table next to the tablet and   
  
almost burst out swearing in several different languages.  
  
"Impossible!" He said, louder that he probably needed   
  
to. "This has to be some sort of cruel prank. This is so   
  
far out of whack from the norm that I am now doubting its   
  
authenticity."  
  
"Can you have the date checked?" Venus asked, knowing   
  
that it could be done by carbon dating.  
  
"It appears I will have to." He replied before   
  
sitting in one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Well,   
  
won't that be great if I paid ten grand for a fake."  
  
She stood behind the chair and gently started kneading   
  
his shoulders with her hands. "You cannot know that for   
  
certain. Wait until you have it tested before jumping to   
  
conclusions." To herself she added. "And if it does prove   
  
false I will see to it that this Lennox person returns what   
  
was paid him."  
  
"Well, it's too late to call the lab now." Scott   
  
said, enjoying the shoulder massage. "I guess I can't do   
  
anything more on it tonight."  
  
"You should go and relax for a while." Venus said,   
  
bending down to kiss the top of his head. "I will continue   
  
with my work and join you for dinner in a little while."  
  
"Yes dear." He said, snickering as she sat down   
  
behind the desk. "Any idea what we are having tonight?"  
  
She shook her head. "Jacob has not told me, nor have   
  
I asked."  
  
"Whatever it is I am certain it will be good." He   
  
said, getting to his feet. "I don't think I've ever   
  
disliked anything he's made."  
  
"I have to agree with you." Venus said, trying poorly   
  
to look serious. "Now, off with you so I can get some work   
  
done."  
  
He laughed, bowing at the waist before leaving her   
  
alone in the workshop. When he closed the door she leaned   
  
back for a moment to stare out the skylights overhead. The   
  
slow rolling clouds and waning daylight above made her   
  
desire to be out soaring wash over her. Only this time it   
  
was not as strong, but it still bugged her. She knew he   
  
was not grounding her to be mean, or to control her. He   
  
feared her causing further injury and because of that she   
  
could not be mad. In fact she felt just the opposite, she   
  
felt even more loved because of it.  
  
Shaking her head she pulled her thoughts from the   
  
clouds and began concentrating on the work Scott had asked   
  
her to do. She opened the topmost notebook and flipped   
  
though the pages. Her flowing handwriting filled both   
  
sides of the pages. Now and again there were pictures she   
  
had drawn, and done quite well according to what her   
  
husband said. In some of the margins there were also   
  
senseless doodles that she had done which had nothing to do   
  
with archeology.  
  
Finding a clean page she picked up a pencil and began   
  
copying the first page. She was at the point where she no   
  
longer needed to look at a translating table, everything   
  
was in her head. The letters and words came easily to her   
  
now, and she progressed quickly. She felt confident she   
  
would have the first fax page translated before dinner.  
  
Scott found that Jacob was not to be found in the   
  
kitchen, but a peek in the stove revealed pork chops   
  
simmering. Smiling, he closed the oven and roamed around   
  
the house for a while, wondering where his butler was.   
  
There was nothing he really needed, except perhaps somebody   
  
to talk with. There was something he had in mind for Venus   
  
and he wanted Jacob's thoughts on the matter.  
  
At one point he passed the door that lead to the   
  
basement and found it slight ajar. Puzzled, he opened it   
  
to find the lights turned on.  
  
"It's not the usual day for him to do the laundry."   
  
Scott said to himself.  
  
Curious as to why, he made his way down the steps to   
  
the concrete floor below. He did not often come down here   
  
as it was mainly used for storage with a laundry room off   
  
to his left. He was going to check there when he heard   
  
some odd "thumping" noises coming from off to his right.  
  
Puzzled even more he followed the noises until he came   
  
upon a sight he had not seen in ages. He found Jacob   
  
stripped to the waist, wearing a pair of blue and yellow   
  
boxing shorts and red boxing gloves. His butler was   
  
dancing around a punching bag hung from the ceiling. Every   
  
so often he would jab at the bag one or twice, dodge to the   
  
side as if avoiding a punch before repeating the process   
  
again. It was not often he seen Jacob wearing only shorts   
  
but he was amazed at just how muscular the old man was.   
  
Sweat was trickling down the his back. Scott had forgotten   
  
that Jacob did some minor boxing in the younger day, but he   
  
did not think he still worked out.   
  
As he watched Jacob dance around he noticed some   
  
shelved on the wall containing a few small trophies. Other   
  
items were framed pictures of Jacob, much younger, standing   
  
in a boxing ring facing some unknown opponent. Others were   
  
of him standing next to a woman, which Scott knew as his   
  
late wife, Gretchen.  
  
After another minute Jacob gave the bag one last punch   
  
before stepping back. It was then he seem to notice Scott   
  
for the first time.  
  
"Sorry, sir." The old butler said, seeming a little   
  
embarrassed. "I was unaware you needed something."  
  
Scott held up his hand and shook his head, smiling.   
  
"Do not stop on my account, Jacob. There was nothing   
  
pressing, I was just curious as to where you were."  
  
Jacob stepped over to a small bench and grabbed a   
  
towel that was resting atop it. Placing the towel around   
  
his neck and untied the gloves and hung them on a nail   
  
driven into one of the shelves.  
  
"Once in a while I get the urge to go a few round with   
  
the old bag." Jacob said, smiling. "Helps keep me in   
  
shape."  
  
"I wish I had seen you when you were in the ring."   
  
Scott said, motioning to the pictures. "You seem quite the   
  
fighter." He made certain the use the word "seem" instead   
  
of "seemed".  
  
"Yes, it was one of my favorite pastimes back home."   
  
He replied, chuckling as he picked up a random picture.   
  
"This was when I fought Double-Fist Bruiser, one of the few   
  
men I nearly lost to."  
  
When Scott looked at the picture he was startled at   
  
just how much larger the other man was. Blonde haired, cut   
  
short and weighing what he guessed almost three hundred   
  
pounds. Jacob looked like a teenager in the picture,   
  
weighing probably the same amount now as he did back then.  
  
"Were you that crazy back then?" Scott asked, clearly   
  
amazed at Jacob had been victorious.  
  
Jacob chuckled and placed the photo back where in its   
  
place. "I was much younger and a little foolish when I was   
  
younger. But, if you will excuse me I need to check on   
  
dinner, if you will excuse me."  
  
"Of course." Scott said as he followed the butler   
  
upstairs, making certain to turn off the lights before   
  
closing the basement door.  
  
"Where is Madame Venus?"  
  
"In the workshop." Scott replied. "I kind of hit a   
  
block on the project I've been working on. Venus was   
  
looking for something to occupy herself so I gave her some   
  
translating to do."  
  
"She seems to have picked up on archeology quite   
  
well." Jacob said as he and the professor stepped into the   
  
kitchen. "You must be very proud of her."  
  
"Yes, I am." Scott said, remembering how lovely she   
  
looked sitting at his desk. "She was the thing I have been   
  
searching for all these years. I didn't know how shallow   
  
my life was until I met her."  
  
Jacob nodded as he began search the lower cupboards   
  
for some canned vegetables. "You two were meant for one   
  
another, sir. I saw that the first time you looked at   
  
her."  
  
Scott was about to say something but decided on a   
  
different course of action. "Has Venus ever mentioned to   
  
you when she was born?" Scott asked as he began setting   
  
the plates. "Or hatched, I suppose."  
  
"I have never heard her mention it." The old butler   
  
replied, shaking his head. "Is it important?"  
  
"I had thought of giving her a birthday party." Scott   
  
answered, chuckling. "But without knowing the date that   
  
will be a little difficult."  
  
"Perhaps asking Goliath, or even detective Maza would   
  
aid in your search." Jacob suggested.  
  
The professor nodded as he went to retrieve the   
  
silverware from the drawer next to the sink.   
  
Her roar echoed throughout the burial chamber as she   
  
broke free of her stone slumber. Hundreds of stone shards   
  
rained down on and around the stone coffins around her.   
  
When she opened her eyes she was met with total darkness.   
  
Realizing where she was she reached over and grabbed the   
  
flashlight from the coffin where she had left it.  
  
With a quick press of a button the device shot a beam   
  
of light which illuminated the far wall. When she lowered   
  
it the beam came to rest of the now closed coffin of Robert   
  
MacGregor. However, resting atop the lid was a neatly   
  
folded white burial shroud. When she approached it the   
  
MacGregor family crest could be seen, looking as it had the   
  
day it was stitched. Reaching down she picked it up,   
  
careful not to cause it to unfold. Tucking the shroud   
  
under her arm she ran a hand over the top of Robert's final   
  
resting place.  
  
The words he had said before she had been forced into   
  
stone sleep were etched into her memory. "If you throw   
  
your heart away there will always be somebody there to pick   
  
it up again." She had no idea what he meant, only that she   
  
felt relived that she was able to finally tell him how she   
  
felt. The last thing she had said before turning to stone   
  
was that she loved him. Robert simply nodded, giving her   
  
that smile that she always knew was just for her.  
  
With that had come sleep.  
  
Bowing her head over his coffin one final time she   
  
turned and started up the other passageway she had seen   
  
earlier. After a minute of walking she discovered why the   
  
area had been undisturbed, a cave in had completely blocked   
  
the passage. Turning around she walked back though the   
  
tomb and back though the tunnel in which she had originally   
  
entered.  
  
After wriggling her body back though the opening she   
  
had made the night before she took the time to block it up   
  
again.  
  
"It will have to do until I can come back and seal it   
  
for good." She said to herself as she placed the last   
  
stones in place. The last thing she wanted was for   
  
somebody to find this place. The idea of anybody   
  
desecrating Robert's resting place infuriated her.  
  
When she made her way back to the top of the cliff she   
  
only spared a moment to look at the area. Inhaling deeply   
  
she leapt off the cliff and soared upwards on a thermal   
  
current. As she made her way overland she started   
  
wondering when she would be able to get a flight back to   
  
Paris. She grumbled at the idea of hiding in a luggage   
  
hold again, but like before there was no other way.  
  
The flight back to Paris was just as lousy as her   
  
previous trip, only this time they passed though a small   
  
storm. Demona never knew how bad luggage had it until she   
  
discovered how much it shifted around when the jet bounced.   
  
By the time she was back at her flat in Paris she did not   
  
know which part of her body ached more. For once she could   
  
not wait for sunrise to come.  
  
As she sat down on the edge of her bed she laid back   
  
and stared at the ceiling. Stretching out her arms, her   
  
right hand brushed against the burial shroud she had   
  
brought with her. The fabric was soft to her touch, not   
  
unlike when Robert used to hold her. The though of being   
  
touched seemed very appealing to her at the moment. She   
  
could not remember the last time she had ever been intimate   
  
with somebody. Previously the though of getting so close   
  
to a human, even when she was in human form, repelled her.  
  
For a long time she only lay staring at the arched   
  
ceiling high above her. For over a millennium she felt   
  
alone, but it seemed even stronger now than it had visited   
  
the past. She could not explain it, but when she started   
  
thinking of James back in New York it felt as if something   
  
was tugging her back there.   
  
Sitting up she grabbed the phone and dialed her   
  
secretary at Nightstone Unlimited. After a few rings her   
  
secretary answered.  
  
"Nightstone Unlimited, Madame Destine's office."  
  
"It's me." Demona answered none to cheery. "I want   
  
my private jet fueled and ready to depart in one hour. I   
  
am returning to New York tonight."  
  
"Of course, Madame." The secretary replied. "I will   
  
make the preparations right away."  
  
With that Demona hung up and began gathering a few   
  
things she would take back with her. The foremost was the   
  
burial shroud that Robert had left her. She never usually   
  
had to worry about packing much since she had a home in   
  
both New York and Paris. In less than a half hour she was   
  
ready to go. The last thing she grabbed was a hooded   
  
trench coat that she would wear when boarding the plane.   
  
Her pilots were not normal ones, they knew how to get out   
  
of the country without being tracked. One thing she could   
  
not do in her condition was deal with customs and   
  
immigration.  
  
Making certain everything was in order and locked she   
  
leapt off the balcony and headed to a smaller, private   
  
airfield. She probably could have used her private jet to   
  
go to Scotland, but it would have been seen as too bizarre,   
  
even for her odd ways.  
  
James got out of the cab after it pulled up in front   
  
of his apartment building. He had been working long hours   
  
at the Gen-U-Tech building and finally started making   
  
progress. The easiest way he found was to use himself as   
  
the specimen, or rather his blood and tissues. The only   
  
thing he needed to figure out was how to increase the way   
  
anti-bodies dealt with an injury. He had access to a ton   
  
of research data on the Xanacorp network computers, but   
  
nothing he found had actually answered his question.  
  
By the time he reached the door to his apartment he   
  
felt the beginnings of a headache. It did not help that he   
  
had not eaten anything since this morning either. Rubbing   
  
his temples for a moment he unlocked the door and stepped   
  
inside. As usual the only source of light came from an   
  
overhead stove lamp. Closing the door behind him he tossed   
  
his keys on the kitchen table and went to the refrigerator   
  
to see what he had for leftovers.  
  
Sighing softly he pulled out a sealed bowl of fried   
  
rice and another with some chicken chow mein. From what he   
  
could see he really needed to go food shopping soon, else   
  
he would have nothing left to eat.  
  
He shoved both containers into the microwave to heat   
  
them up and strode into the living room. When he turned on   
  
the light everything was in its usual, boring place.   
  
Stifling a yawn he went out onto the balcony and gazed out   
  
at the city for a few minutes. Eventually he heard the   
  
microwave beeping so he stepped back inside, leaving the   
  
sliding door open to let in a breeze. He was feeling lazy   
  
and did not even take the time to place the food on a   
  
plate. Gathering a fork from the drawer he sat down on the   
  
couch and switched on the television.  
  
As he started forking rice into his mouth he heard a   
  
soft thump from the balcony. When he turned to see what   
  
the noise was he was startled when Demona stepped inside.   
  
Her large feet made soft padding sounds as she approached,   
  
caping her wings like a cloak.  
  
"You look like one of my kind frozen in stone like   
  
that." She said, a small quirk of a smile appearing on her   
  
lips.  
  
It was then he realized that he was staring at her, a   
  
forkful of food hovering motionless halfway to his open   
  
mouth. He was not certain if it was her presence or the   
  
almost calm and comfortable look on her face as she crossed   
  
her arms beneath her breasts.  
  
"Welcome back, Demona." He said, placing the fork in   
  
the container before getting to his feet and bowing   
  
slightly.  
  
His odd way of greeting her made her want to laugh,   
  
but she wisely kept it in check. She did not want him to   
  
know that she was actually glad to see him again. "Glad to   
  
see him?" She said to herself, wondering why that was. "I   
  
must be losing my mind!" Also to herself.  
  
"How is your new job with Xanatos going?" She asked,   
  
sitting down on the couch without being asked first.  
  
He hesitated for a moment before sitting himself,   
  
trying to sit as close to her as possible without seeming   
  
too forward. "It is getting a little easier, but when I   
  
first started I had almost regretted undertaking his   
  
project idea."  
  
"Oh? Why is that?" She asked, still wondering why   
  
she was acting as if she was his life long friend.  
  
Chuckling softly he told her about all the false leads   
  
he had been given and all the headaches it had caused him.   
  
The project had never actually been worked on to any extent   
  
before it was handed to him, and the ones who did work on   
  
it were idiots. It was not until he had erased everything   
  
and started from scratch did he make any kind of progress.  
  
"Just this afternoon I took some of my own blood and   
  
tissue samples." He explained, lifting his sleeve to   
  
display a bandage. "I scanned them into the mainframe and   
  
it is currently breaking everything down.  
  
"Once that's done I can start introducing simulated   
  
injuries to the cells and get a map of how they deal with   
  
it."  
  
Demona tapped a talon on her chin as she pondered what   
  
he was told her before speaking. "So, you plan to use the   
  
map to figure out how to speed up the process." She was   
  
pleased at the look of amazement on his face. "Interesting   
  
idea, I would like to see what you come up with."  
  
For a moment he was not certain why she was acting so   
  
strange. When they had been together the last time she   
  
seemed to like him one moment and then push him away the   
  
next. He was certain that any moment now she would find a   
  
reason to get upset and want to break something.  
  
Demona remained silent for a moment before speaking.  
  
"Have you given any thought to my request?" She   
  
asked, looking at him and wondering why she could not bring   
  
herself to simply reach out and demand an answer.  
  
"Well, as I said at our last meeting I will take your   
  
project." He replied, smiling at how she looked almost   
  
innocent, not the moody creature he had met before.   
  
"Actually it won't be too different than what I am doing   
  
now, the procedure will be almost the same."  
  
"What will you need from me?"  
  
"For the most part I will need your body." He   
  
replied, not thinking about how his reply would be taken.  
  
If the comment effected her it did not show, instead   
  
she nodded and glanced at the containers of food on the   
  
table. "I have made arrangements so that I can remain in   
  
New York for as long as I need."  
  
"Would you like some?" James asked, motioning to the   
  
food.  
  
"I never touch the stuff." She replied, making a   
  
face. "What's the sense of eating something, only to wind   
  
up wanting to eat again an hour later?"  
  
For the first time he noticed now nice her voice   
  
actually was when she was not throwing a fit. It was   
  
almost musical in a sensual sort of way, soft yet not   
  
sounding as if she were timid. As before he could not help   
  
but notice just how lovely a creature she was. Her   
  
muscular, yet feminine body was curved in all the right   
  
places, not to mention her skimpy outfit. He found himself   
  
wondering just what was holding up the left side of her   
  
halter top. He was being drawn into her dark eyes and   
  
smooth face when he realized that she had asked a question   
  
and was waiting for an answer.  
  
"I have no idea, it's just something I've always liked   
  
eating." He replied, regaining his composure. "I do not   
  
have much to eat at the moment, but if you are hungry I can   
  
arrange something."  
  
His invitation caught her by surprise as she had not   
  
expecting him to invite her to dine with him. She had   
  
never actually had to prepare her own meals, being wealthy   
  
meant not having to do such mundane things. Very seldom   
  
had anyone actually offered to prepare something for her.   
  
She found herself liking his offer but hesitated on   
  
accepting as it would show too much interest in him.  
  
"I am not hungry." She answered, deciding to lie and   
  
decline the offer. "My kind do not require that we eat as   
  
often as you humans do, spending half of our lives in stone   
  
helps."  
  
"Interesting… Perhaps when you are in stone form your   
  
body somehow draws on ultra violet rays to nourish you."   
  
James said, rubbing his chin while staring at the ceiling.   
  
"This is something I will have to study… If I could figure   
  
out what causes the stone process…." Now he was mumbling   
  
to himself, seemingly oblivious to her sitting next to him.  
  
"Professor?" She said, watching him as he started   
  
mumbling about blood cells and direct sunlight. When she   
  
spoke again she put more authority in her voice.   
  
"Professor?"  
  
Again he did not seem to notice her trying to get his   
  
attention, his own now focused on altering skin cells to   
  
reflect sunlight instead of drawing on it. "Of course I   
  
can simulate the process using a sample of your skin   
  
tissue…" By now he had gotten up and was pacing around,   
  
requiring her to turn her head to keep an eye on him.  
  
"What will this cost me?" She said, nearly shouting.  
  
It seemed to work, but only enough for him to stop and   
  
look at her for a few moments to reply. "Cost? Nothing,   
  
Xanatos is already providing me with all the equipment. I   
  
can use the MRI scanner to map your entire body…" Once   
  
again he started rambling on, but by now he had gone into a   
  
realm of science even she was unable to follow.  
  
He was almost starting to look like a bird of prey the   
  
way he was walking around the room, circling her. His   
  
intent look on solving her problem made her want to reach   
  
out and yank him back onto the soft with her. The thought   
  
made her grin wickedly, mostly because the thought of it   
  
seemed slightly evil. She waited until he was behind the   
  
couch before reaching over and grabbing his arm.  
  
The action had the desired effect of catching him off   
  
guard as she pulled him over the back of the couch. With a   
  
loud yelp he tumbled until he was sitting the wrong way,   
  
staring at the ceiling while his legs dangled over the back   
  
of the sofa. When he managed to figure out what happened   
  
all he could see was Demona's face gazing down at him.  
  
"She's so incredibly beautiful!" He said to himself,   
  
the though of science now gone from his thoughts.  
  
Not saying a word he made like he was trying to get   
  
into a normal sitting position. But when he knelt on the   
  
sofa to sit he pressed his face to hers, his mouth covering   
  
hers. He actually felt her entire body go rigid as stone   
  
as a muffled grunt escaped her throat. If figured that if   
  
she was going to kill him for doing this then it would be a   
  
nice way to die.  
  
When she felt his mouth on hers her first instinct was   
  
to pull away and gut him like a fish. She prepared   
  
herself, talons bared to strike but an imagine of Robert's   
  
voice echoed in her head. "Do not push away those who   
  
would want to love you." Still, she wanted to shove the   
  
human away, but she instead closed her eyes and parted her   
  
lips. This was a sensation she had not felt in some time,   
  
a kiss that she enjoyed. A small moan escaped her mouth as   
  
she slid one hand around to his back, trying to pull him   
  
closer.  
  
As the moments passed she began working her mouth like   
  
a fish gasping for water. When he place a hand on the side   
  
of her face she started to lean back, her body moving as if   
  
to lie down. She knew this was going too far but she   
  
wanted it to continue, she wanted to feel desired, to be   
  
touched in ways she once though beyond her grasp. Just   
  
when she though his hands would touch her more intimately   
  
he pulled away, slowly breaking a kiss she did not want   
  
broken.  
  
When she opened her eyes he saw him looking into her   
  
eyes as his hand slipped away. She almost want to plead   
  
for him not to stop but it was he who spoke first.  
  
"I thought for certain you would tear me apart for   
  
trying that." He said in a breathless voice.  
  
Returning to a sitting position she leaned forward,   
  
trying to slow her own breathing. "Nobody has ever tried   
  
it before." In secret she found herself liking what he   
  
did. It was fast and spontaneous and she had all but been   
  
helpless when she did not fight it. "Perhaps next time I   
  
will."  
  
He was not certain what she meant by that so he kept   
  
his mouth shut, but the temptation to kiss her again was   
  
very strong. Instead he smiled and got to his feet.   
  
"Well, when can you be available to start? I still have to   
  
work on Xanatos' project, but I can do yours at the same   
  
time since it's not too different."  
  
Demona leaned back and seemed to think about it for a   
  
moment before answering. "How long will it take for you   
  
to… examine me?"  
  
"Well, the scan process itself will take several   
  
minutes and you can only wear the paper gown." He replied,   
  
rubbing his chin. "Normal clothing will interfere with the   
  
scanner." At this she only nodded, which he seemed to find   
  
odd since she seemed like the type to oppose that sort of   
  
thing. "I can do it tomorrow evening around eight o'clock.   
  
Everybody will be gone by then."  
  
"Very well, professor." Demona replied, getting to   
  
her feet. "I will come in though the window as I did the   
  
first time." She said, grinning at the memory but he only   
  
nodded. "Now it is time for me to leave."  
  
"See you tomorrow night, Angel." James commented,   
  
bowing slightly at the waist.  
  
The name caused her to pause for a moment as she   
  
started towards the sliding door. She had not heard that   
  
name spoke to her since she had met Goliath after he had   
  
been released from the sleep in stone spell. The urge to   
  
spin around and demand he never speak it again nearly   
  
overwhelmed her. But when she turned to shout he had a   
  
look and smile on his face that made her want to rush into   
  
his arms.  
  
"He looks so much like Robert." She said to herself.   
  
"And those eyes of his, he looks at me like a predator."   
  
What was scary was she found herself liking it… a lot.  
  
Nodding, she forced herself to go outside, to which he   
  
followed not far behind. As she leaned against the metal   
  
railing she turned her head just enough so she could see   
  
where he was standing. Allowing herself a tiny smile she   
  
leapt onto the railing and spread her wings. "I will be   
  
there." She said as she jumped off, then added a softer   
  
"James" instead of "human" or "professor".  
  
She had no idea if he head her and she had no   
  
intentions of sticking around to find out. Catching a warm   
  
updraft she soared higher and did not look back as his   
  
balcony shrank from sight.  
  
"He kissed me!" She said aloud, shaking her head in   
  
wonder. "And I let him… I even enjoyed it." The next   
  
thing she knew she was laughing, but not in her normal   
  
maniacal way, but with actual joy.  
  
"Finally!" James exclaimed as he watched several   
  
white blood cells attack the virus he had introduced though   
  
the microscope.  
  
Earlier that afternoon he had finally finished mapping   
  
the process of how damaged tissue was dealt with. He had   
  
taken some white blood cells that he had infused with high   
  
levels of antibiotics. The results looks very favorable   
  
but it was still not enough in his opinion.  
  
"There has to be to speed up the process without   
  
killing the cells in the process." He said to himself as   
  
he continued to monitor the cells. He had done that   
  
earlier this morning and the end result was utter failure.   
  
The cells had been aggressive enough, but they did it in   
  
reverse and made the problem worse. When the process was   
  
finished the dead cells wound up contaminating the entire   
  
sample.  
  
Standing, he went over to a computer he had separated   
  
from the others on a table by itself. He had taken this   
  
particular one and disconnected it from the network and   
  
used it only for data analysis and storage. He had an idea   
  
that Xanatos, if he wished it, could access anything in the   
  
mainframe. The last thing he wanted was for somebody to   
  
poke around into his work, especially when he started on   
  
Demona's project.  
  
Another thing he had done was sweep the place for any   
  
cameras or listening devices. He had not found anything   
  
but he still felt as if he was being monitored, which gave   
  
him the willies. Still, there was not much he could do   
  
about it if he was unable to locate the bugs. The other   
  
precautions he took was to encrypt the files and store them   
  
on a removable hard drive and not the system drive. He   
  
would then take the data home with him and store it in a   
  
safe hidden in his closet.  
  
The intercom next to the door startled him when it   
  
buzzed. Clearing the screen of any important information   
  
he enabled the Gen-U-Tech spinning logo screen saver and   
  
went to answer it.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Professor MacGregor, this is the medical wing." Came   
  
a woman's voice after he released the speaker button. "We   
  
have you down for using the MRI scanner later this evening.   
  
Is that correct?"  
  
"Yes, I need to run some tests for a project David   
  
Xanatos wants me to work on." He replied, lying as to the   
  
real reason. "Will it be free?"  
  
"Of course, we have you booked but it is odd that you   
  
need it so late in the evening." The woman's voice   
  
replied. "I doubt there will be anyone around at that   
  
time. Is there a particular reason?"  
  
James thought for a moment before answering, no doubt   
  
she would write down the reason on the scheduling form. "I   
  
have a cousin coming in to assist me as the scan subject,   
  
she was only available for later this evening."  
  
"Very well, professor. We will leave the system   
  
running after the medical staff is finished with it." The   
  
voice answered. "Good day." A soft click indicated that   
  
the woman had closed the connection.  
  
Shaking his head he went back to the computer, sat   
  
down and continued entering the results of the test he had   
  
been running. Later he would have to delve deeper into the   
  
other areas of genetic research to see if he could find   
  
anything else to aid him. He needed to at least double the   
  
speed healing rate as it was now, but in a way that would   
  
not kill the cells or damage the tissue.  
  
When he finished with the entries he saved the   
  
information and looked up at the clock. It was after seven   
  
and he realized he had not eaten anything since this   
  
morning. The mere thought of food caused his stomach to   
  
start grumbling. He growled softly and wondered why he   
  
never just brought something in with him to eat.  
  
"Guess I can order out for something or run to the   
  
commissary downstairs." He mused to himself as he walked   
  
to the large open windows. He did not feel like Chinese   
  
tonight, or anything too spicy. "Maybe just a pizza will   
  
do until I get home, if that ever happens." He added,   
  
chuckling.  
  
Sitting down next to the row of computers he picked up   
  
the phone and dallied the number to his favorite pizza   
  
place. The person who picked up announced the name and   
  
asked what he was ordering. He decided on his usual of a   
  
stuffed crust pizza with meat toppings and said as much.   
  
The man asked if it was a pick up or delivery, to which   
  
James answered delivery.  
  
"It should be ready in about twenty minutes." The man   
  
replied, the sound of people could be heard in the   
  
background. "What is the address?"  
  
He gave them the address to the building, adding that   
  
he would have to tell the guard at the front gate to be   
  
allowed inside. The man said "okay" and hung up.  
  
Hanging up the phone himself he decided to access the   
  
mainframe and start searching for more information.   
  
Sitting down he logged in and began browsing the files,   
  
concentrating mostly of Anton Sevarius.  
  
From just outside the window, clinging to the side of   
  
the building Demona listened to what James was saying. She   
  
suppressed a chuckle when he ordered a delivery pizza and   
  
peeked in. Professor MacGregor was seated at a computer   
  
apparently researching data, she could not make out exactly   
  
what. She was about to climb though the window when a sly   
  
idea popped into her head. Smiling wickedly she scaled   
  
down the wall and leapt onto the parking lot.  
  
There was nobody else around that she could see but to   
  
be safe she kept to the shadows. It was also then that she   
  
noticed that there were no vehicles at all in the parking   
  
area. She figured that James was still taking a cab to and   
  
from work, to which she chuckled.  
  
"He is making good money working for Xanatos, and he   
  
still takes a cab." She said softly, shaking her head.   
  
"Not accepting money from me. He is strange… for a human."  
  
For a time she stood and waited, making certain to   
  
keep watch on the front gate. Some time after she saw a   
  
car approach and stop, to which the guard in the booth   
  
stepped out. The guard exchanged words with the person in   
  
the car for a minute before nodding. When the guard opened   
  
the gate the car entered and stopped near the front   
  
entrance.  
  
Making certain not to be clearly seen she caped her   
  
wings and kept her tail tucked behind her and approached   
  
the car. As the man got out he reached in a removed a   
  
large red bag, probably with the pizza.  
  
"Over here." She said, still keeping to the shadows.  
  
The deliver man, or boy from the looks of him, was   
  
startled for a moment at hearing her voice but recovered   
  
quickly. "Did you order a pizza with stuffed crust and   
  
meat toppings?"  
  
"Yes." She replied. "How much?" When the boy   
  
started walking towards her she held out her hand and told   
  
him to stop.  
  
This caught him completely off guard and he asked what   
  
for, to which she repeated the question as to the cost.   
  
"Ummm.. Fifteen dollars and eighty five cents."  
  
"That is an outrageous price, but very well." She   
  
reached into her belt and pulled a thin money folder.   
  
Reaching in she withdrew a twenty, most of which were   
  
hundreds. Folding the bill a few times she lobbed it   
  
towards him, where it landed on the ground next to his   
  
feet.  
  
"Place it on the ground before you, pick up the money   
  
and keep the change." She said, wondering why she was not   
  
simply tearing him apart.  
  
He did so, a perplexed look on his face the entire   
  
time. Picking up the money he quickly got back into his   
  
car and left. She went and grabbed the pizza box and   
  
scaled the wall again, heedless of the holes she was   
  
making. It would have gone quicker if she did not have the   
  
pizza in one hand, but she made due.  
  
Upon reaching the window to James' laboratory she   
  
carefully peeked inside to see where he was. He was still   
  
seated at the computer, doing his research so she silently   
  
crept inside. Once she was on her own feet she held the   
  
box in one hand and stepped up behind him.  
  
Without saying a word she poked his shoulder lightly   
  
with a talon and watched with joy as he shot up three feet   
  
in the air. The computer chair he was seated on topped   
  
over as he yelped, nearly tripping on it in the process.   
  
When he saw her standing there, laughing openly now, he   
  
clutched at his chest as if he were have a heart attack.  
  
"Demona!" He said, breathless. "You nearly scared me   
  
to death."  
  
"Here is your pizza, sir." She said, holding the box   
  
up and bowing gracefully. "In my opinion it is   
  
overpriced."  
  
With deft hands he took the box she offered and set it   
  
on the table next to the computers. The thought of eating   
  
had fled his mind completely, he was now concentrating on   
  
slowing his heart. When he felt as if he would no longer   
  
collapse he straightened himself and smiled.  
  
"I was not certain what time to arrive, professor."   
  
She said, looking around the brightly lit laboratory.   
  
"When can we begin?"  
  
By now he realized that Demona's moods changed like   
  
the weather, most often she seemed cranky or upset. Last   
  
night must have been one of those rare times when she let   
  
her guard down. Something must have happened since she did   
  
not retaliate when he had kissed her.   
  
"Well, I can take a blood sample from you." He   
  
replied. "For the tissue sample I will need to use the   
  
biology lab, I don't have the equipment to do that type of   
  
extraction."  
  
"Extraction?" She exclaimed, back away. "How much do   
  
you need?"  
  
At her reaction he chuckled, earning him an glare.   
  
"It only takes a few moments and I doubt you will even feel   
  
anything. Once I have them I can scan them into the   
  
computer and use the data to do simulations."  
  
"Anything else?"  
  
"Not right away." He answered, shaking his head.   
  
"Eventually I will need to examine you when you turn into   
  
stone. Is there anything at all about what occurs while   
  
you are sleeping?"  
  
Caping her wings she leaned her back side against the   
  
table and began rubbing her chin. "We do dream, like you   
  
humans do, but aside from that we are helpless." When she   
  
realized what she had told him she clamped her mouth shut   
  
and felt like kicking herself.  
  
"Interesting…" He said, righting the chair before   
  
sitting in it. "If you were to lose a part of yourself,   
  
say an arm or your tail, does it eventually grow back?"  
  
She shook her head. "No, the stone healing process   
  
does not work that way. When a limb is lost it is lost."  
  
"Okay, I will have to put that information into the   
  
file." He mumbled as he once again took in her body. "If   
  
you are ready we can begin."  
  
"Aren't you going to eat first?" She exclaimed,   
  
motioning her hand towards the pizza box. "Or did I   
  
throw away twenty dollars?"  
  
When she empathized the fact that she had paid for the   
  
pizza, and the stern look on her face, reminded him that he   
  
had not eaten. Flashing her the smile she seemed to like   
  
he nodded and opened the box.  
  
"Want some?"  
  
She wrinkled her nose at the pizza as if it was   
  
something he had pulled from the raunchiest sewer. "I do   
  
not eat such mundane things, professor, it is beneath me."  
  
He looked at her for a moment and shrugged as he   
  
opened the box and began eating. While he indulged himself   
  
she walked around the laboratory and seemed to inspect the   
  
different equipment and computers. When she reached the   
  
computer all by itself she gazed down at the data on the   
  
screen. He had left it open with the word processor   
  
running, it had his notes for Xanatos' project on it.  
  
"You can look them over if you want." He said,   
  
swallowing a bite of cheese filled crust. He was not   
  
worried, they were only notes and not the actual data.  
  
"You trust me?" She said, staring at him intently.  
  
"Not entirely." He replied, earning him another glare   
  
but it seemed as if she found it intriguing. "I use high   
  
encryption and never store important things on the system   
  
itself."  
  
She sat before the computer and nodded. "I am   
  
impressed with your safety measures, professor, but I warn   
  
you I have methods of my own."  
  
"Of that I have no doubt, Demona… I have accessed   
  
Xanatos' internal systems in the past, so with your   
  
resources I imagine you could too." He explained as he   
  
finished his third slice of pizza.  
  
"You mean his inner computer core?" Demona asked.   
  
Her respect for him being able to do so went up a few   
  
notches. When he nodded his answer she found herself   
  
smiling. "Very impressive, professor."  
  
"Thanks. It was how I first discovered you and your   
  
kind were here." James explained as he started on his   
  
fourth slice. "Your background was encrypted, unlike the   
  
others, so your info was very limited."  
  
His talents were peaking her interest and she forgot   
  
the computer in front of her for a while. "Did you manage   
  
to get anything else from the computer core?"  
  
"A lot of data concerning other strange project he was   
  
working on. But his encryption system is even more complex   
  
than mine." He said, frowning. "I was only able to get   
  
project names, but I still have everything on my portable   
  
computer."  
  
She no longer really cared about what was on James's   
  
computer, what she saw was apparently only notes anyway.   
  
The fact that he could have stuff she did not was   
  
tantalizing to her; she found him even more interesting   
  
now.   
  
Fixing him with a seductive look she asked. "With my   
  
resources I could probably help you with that data."  
  
"Sure." He answered, not even seeming to take the time   
  
to think. She found this strange and had no idea on what   
  
to say.  
  
"Just let me know when you want it." He said, closing   
  
the box to the half eaten pizza. "But here is one catch."  
  
"Ahhh. He is a human after all." She said to   
  
herself. "And what would be this 'catch'?"  
  
"Easy, I want to be there with you. Naturally I am   
  
also interested in seeing what those files contain."  
  
She had thought he would want some form of payment, or   
  
other information in return. His request was not   
  
unreasonable by any means, but she wondered how they could   
  
work that out. "Do I take him to Nightstone in Paris to   
  
analyze the data, or one of my private hideaways?" All   
  
this she asked herself, but she figured this could wait a   
  
time.  
  
"I think something can be arranged, professor." She   
  
said, nodding her head and smiling at the thought of   
  
possibly getting something good. "But if you are finished   
  
I think we should get started on those tests."  
  
He nodded and stood. "If you will follow me."  
  
David and Owen stood in the elevator as it made it's   
  
way down to the lower sections of Xanatos Enterprises. The   
  
elevator made a barley audible hum as it began to slow its   
  
decent. After a few moments it halted and the doors slid   
  
silently open. Both stepped out into a brightly lit while   
  
hallway with doors set at intervals along the way. They   
  
had been here before, several weeks earlier when David had   
  
shown Owen his newest idea: Project Bioclan.  
  
"Mr. Xanatos, do you realize just how much this   
  
endeavor of yours is costing?" Owen commented as he walked   
  
beside his employer. "And you have not even said why you   
  
want these… androids."  
  
"Simple, Owen. You see, my Steel Clan robots are   
  
useful things to have, but they lack the ability to think   
  
for themselves." David said as they approached a door at   
  
the end of the hall. "Not to mention they look like, well,   
  
steel robots."  
  
Owen lifted an eyebrow before opening the door for   
  
Xanatos. "They seem to have served you well in the past.   
  
Why now? Are you still set on going after Goliath and the   
  
others? I thought you had decided to leave them be."  
  
Xanatos shook his head and stepped though the open   
  
door, the major domo followed close behind. "No, not for   
  
Goliath and his clan. I wish to have my own person clan of   
  
Gargoyles, ones who will obey and not run off."  
  
"I still do not see your reasons, sir." Owen replied.   
  
"But it is not my place to questions them."  
  
David only nodded as he continued down a set of stairs   
  
before emerging in a large, vaulted laboratory. The entire   
  
place was filled with high tech computers along with five   
  
large glass tubes; all empty. In the center of the room   
  
were five gargoyles, frozen as if in stone, but were in the   
  
flesh. Owen's eyes widened at the sight of them as Xanatos   
  
stepped closer.  
  
Waving a hand towards the gargoyle to the very left   
  
and smiled. "Meet the Bioclan, Owen.. The latest in bio-  
  
mechanical engineering. Fully functional androids with   
  
artificial intelligence, learning sub systems and   
  
surrounded by living tissue!"  
  
The major domo approached the one Xanatos stood next   
  
to. It was not as large as Goliath, but it was well   
  
muscled with short blonde hair and bronze colored skin. It   
  
wore a simple loincloth with unadorned belt. Two rows of   
  
tiny pointed horns ran from the center of its forehead to   
  
the temples. He was square jawed with both knee and elbow   
  
spurs. Its huge bat-like wings were draped over his large   
  
shoulders. It looked to be asleep, its slightly oval eyes   
  
closed, but there was no signs of life in it.  
  
"Do they have names?"  
  
The billionaire shook his head. "Not yet, I am hoping   
  
they will attempt to choose their own when I bring them   
  
online."  
  
If Owen had not known they were androids he would have   
  
sworn he was looking as five living Gargoyles. There were   
  
three males and two females, including the first one   
  
Xanatos had shown him. Like the first they all looked as   
  
if they were sleeping, wings draped over their shoulders.  
  
The second android, a female, had long brown hair that   
  
touched her backside. This one had the same body build as   
  
Demona, but with dark red skin. She had an almost human   
  
looking face, only her pointed ears and skin tone said   
  
otherwise. Her slim body was well proportioned with firm,   
  
well rounded breasts and slim waist. She had no knee spurs   
  
but did have them on her elbows. Her outfit consisted of a   
  
dark green halter top and matching skirt that stopped just   
  
past her hips. A light blue silk scarf was also tied   
  
around her waist with the ends hanging loosely down her   
  
left leg.  
  
The next one was also a female, slightly taller that   
  
the second with shoulder length black hair and almond   
  
shaped eyes. She had a pretty face with full lips, high   
  
cheekbones and two small sharp horns on her forehead. Owen   
  
was not certain, she her build was remarkably similar to   
  
Venus but with smaller breasts. When he looked at David   
  
the man only grinned, saying nothing. Her outfit was a   
  
simple one piece sleeveless, off white cotton dress with   
  
thin shoulder straps. The bottom section stopped just   
  
above her knees, giving her an innocent "farmers daughter"   
  
look.  
  
After her came the fourth android, a large male with   
  
no hair and a long beak, not unlike Brooklyn's. He was   
  
about the same size as Goliath, with matching build but   
  
this ones face had a close resemblance to Arnold   
  
Schwarzenegger. Deadly looking spurs adorned both his   
  
knees and elbows, but it was the torn jeans that gave him   
  
the dangerous look. He wore no top, his well build chest   
  
looked puffed out and hard as steel.  
  
The last was also male, about as tall as the second   
  
female with a lean body. He had strange looking off-white   
  
skin with long silver hair that stopped below his shoulder   
  
blades. He had round eyes, thin lips and slightly sunken   
  
cheekbones that gave him an evil look about him. Unlike   
  
the others, who looked more or less like normal gargoyles,   
  
he was different. He had a row of three elbow spurs   
  
running up the back of his arms, each one arched back and   
  
razor sharp; the knee spurs were the same.  
  
Owen was not certain about that one and asked Xanatos   
  
why it was different than the rest.  
  
"Well, he was actually the first one to be created."   
  
David replied as he stood next to Owen. "I suppose you   
  
could say he was the prototype model, but he has all the   
  
same functionality as the others."  
  
"What about flight?" Owen inquired. "I see no jet   
  
packs, just ordinary wings."  
  
"They are built into the base of the feet." David   
  
replied, smiling. "Unlike Goliath and the rest, my Bioclan   
  
robots do not need to jump from a high place. Once the   
  
Bioclan are airborne the jets iris close and they rely on   
  
their wings to keep them aloft."  
  
"Fascinating, sir. I do think you have outdone   
  
yourself this time. The females are quite… exquisite."  
  
"Thank you, Owen, I am rather pleased with them."   
  
Xanatos replied, then chuckled. "As to the females, well,   
  
yes they look very attractive."  
  
David waved Owen over to the first female and before   
  
Owen could protest, grabbed her top and lifted it to expose   
  
her bare chest. The major domo looked away for a moment   
  
before he realized why his employer had done what he did.   
  
When he took a closer look he noticed that even though the   
  
female had breasts, they were only smooth skin and nothing   
  
else. Owen looked dumbfounded, if that were possible, at   
  
Xanatos, not certain what to say.  
  
"They are engineered only to look anatomically   
  
correct." David explained as he replaced her halter top.   
  
"But that is where it ends. None of them have the extra…   
  
features… that the living kind have. I might insist on   
  
perfection, but for something like this even I have   
  
limits."  
  
"Of course, sir, I would not have thought otherwise."   
  
Owen replied, quickly regaining his composure. "If I might   
  
interject something, Mr. Xanatos, I do believe you have an   
  
appointment with the museum curator shortly."  
  
"Oh! Thanks for reminding me, Owen." Xanatos   
  
replied. "I had almost forgot about that. Come, we best   
  
not keep her waiting."  
  
Owen only nodded and followed his employer out,   
  
stealing one last look at the Bioclan before exiting.   
  
There was a look of doubt in his eyes but whatever his   
  
thought were he kept them silent.  
  
Xanatos steepled his fingers, and with a fascinated   
  
grin he watched as MacGregor and Demona left the   
  
laboratory. He was very proud of the new surveillance   
  
system he had installed. It was too small to see with the   
  
naked eye unless you knew exactly where it was. Plus being   
  
so thin that you would have to look at the wall perfectly   
  
level to notice the slight bulge. There were five such   
  
camera installed in MacGregor's laboratory, all positioned   
  
in such a way that everything could be seen. Each camera   
  
even had a small wireless microphone built in, letting him   
  
hear everything that was said.  
  
MacGregor was good, but David did not get where he was   
  
today without knowing how to outsmart his own employees.   
  
The one thing that did bother him, although only slightly,   
  
was that the processor took the data home with him. Not   
  
that it really mattered, the cameras saw everything, even   
  
the computer he had separated from the network. What   
  
really did annoy him was learning that the man he hired and   
  
somehow managed to gain access to private files in the   
  
past. He will have to have Owen look into that and try to   
  
find out what MacGregor had stolen.  
  
"Still, I could use that to my advantage if the good   
  
professor decides to turn on me." He said to himself,   
  
chuckling. "And what are you up too this time, Demona?   
  
Hiring my own scientist for a project of your own, this is   
  
something I must know."  
  
Whatever it was, it had to do with her genetic makeup   
  
since MacGregor wanted tissue samples and an MRI scan. At   
  
least he seemed to be making some progress on the project   
  
he had hired him to do. He snickered at how aggravated   
  
the man had gotten trying to sort though all that junk   
  
information that he had tossed together. The one thing   
  
Xanatos wanted was to watch the process from scratch, not   
  
borrowed from another persons research.  
  
He was about to turn the screen off when he saw the   
  
huge double doors in his office open. A moment later Owen   
  
stepped inside, closing them behind him.  
  
"Yes, Owen?"  
  
"Mr. Xanatos, the curator from Metropolitan Museum of   
  
Art is here." The major domo said in his bored, monotone   
  
voice.  
  
"Ah, yes." Xanatos said, switching off the screen.   
  
"Send her in."  
  
"Of course sir." Owen replied, nodding before opening   
  
the door and leaving.  
  
A few moments later a young woman stepped in, average   
  
height and very pretty. Long, dark brown hair with blond   
  
highlights and deep green eyes were her prominent features.   
  
She wore a light green blouse with a vest that was slightly   
  
darker and a purple, silk gauzed skirt stopping just above   
  
her knees.   
  
Tucked under her left arm was a large manila envelope   
  
that bulged considerably. She wore the air of authority   
  
and radiated intelligence; he could see it in her keen   
  
eyes.  
  
"All business with this woman." David said to himself   
  
as he motioned to a padded chair, to which she took. "A   
  
pleasure to meet you, Miss… I am sorry, your name escapes   
  
me."  
  
"Calissa… Callisa Leigh." She replied, her voice soft   
  
but not timid. "I am honored that you have agreed to meet   
  
with me, Mr. Xanatos."  
  
"It's me who is honored, Miss Leigh." He replied,   
  
standing to shaker her hand. "And what do I owe the   
  
pleasure of your visit?"  
  
Callisa cleared her throat and placed the envelope in   
  
her lap before speaking. "Well, Mr. Xanatos, I am aware   
  
that you have in your possession many priceless works of   
  
art. I was hoping you would agree to lend some to my   
  
museum for a new exhibition we are planning. We want to   
  
display items from the three top archeological companies in   
  
the United States."  
  
"You mean like the time I donated the legendary Eye of   
  
Odin to your museum?" He answered, faking a slight frown   
  
and knowing that he had borrowed it back when he first   
  
tested his exo-suit "If I remember correctly it did not   
  
remain there very long."  
  
The glare she gave him was so cold that if he had a   
  
glass of water in front of him it would have frozen solid.   
  
It only lasted for a moment, though, as she remembered why   
  
she was here.  
  
"Mr. Xanatos, I must apologize once again for that   
  
incident." She said, switching from her glare back to   
  
business-like. "But you must realize that even with the   
  
latest in security technology in place, nothing is   
  
completely fool proof.  
  
"Rest assured that something like this will not happen   
  
again. We have recently upgraded our system and hired more   
  
security personal." She added, folding her hands over the   
  
envelope in her lap.  
  
"Who are the other two you were considering?" David   
  
asked, fairly certain he already knew the answer.  
  
"Well, there is you, and we already signed on   
  
professor Scott Mercure." She answered, patting the   
  
envelope in her lap. "And the other is professor Harold   
  
Reinhart."  
  
He nodded, not at her choice of candidates but at the   
  
fact that he had been right. "Yes, they are very well   
  
known and respected men. As you may know, professor   
  
Mercure started out by working for me."  
  
She nodded. "Yes, we have known him for several years   
  
and that information is known to us. But I implore you to   
  
consider donating some of your artifacts to the museum. If   
  
it is a question of money we can come to some sort of   
  
arrangement."  
  
"They want to buy my trust." He said to himself, then   
  
to her. "I do not think I could accept money from the   
  
museum. As long as you can guarantee that my property will   
  
remain safe I will agree."  
  
The smile that appeared on her lovely face would have   
  
warmed his heart if he had let it. "You do not know how   
  
much this will mean to the museum! I cannot thank you   
  
enough, Mr. Xanatos."  
  
He stood up again and smiled. "A pleasure, Miss   
  
Leigh. Now if you will follow me I will show you around   
  
and you can let me know what catches your eye." If he had   
  
been alone he would have been chuckling. He had no   
  
intentions of showing her his personal gallery as the Eye   
  
was there, nor was he planning on borrowing them back.  
  
As she got to her feet they shook hands again.   
  
Xanatos motioned towards the double doors, to which Owen   
  
appeared. Calissa wondered how the man knew when to enter,   
  
she did not see Xanatos call or page him. Owen held the   
  
door open for them as they stepped out.  
  
"Thank you, Owen." David said as the major domo   
  
started to slowly close the door. Moments before it would   
  
have clicked shut it stopped of its own accord until   
  
Xanatos and the woman were gone. Owen waited another   
  
minute before going into his employers office. Once inside   
  
he went to the video monitor and began the playback of   
  
professor MacGregor's laboratory.  
  
As he watched the interaction between the professor   
  
and Demona he allowed himself a small smile. "So it   
  
begins." Was all he said before turning the screen off and   
  
leaving the office.  
  
To be continued….. 


End file.
